US crude oil import falls

US crude oil imports averaged 7.2 million barrels per day during the week ending Dec.30, down by 984,000 million barrels per day from the previous week, the country’s Energy Information Administration said in its report.

“Over the last four weeks, crude oil imports averaged 7.8 million barrels per day, or 0.5 percent above the same four-week period last year,” said the report.

This is while the country’s total motor gasoline imports (including both finished gasoline and gasoline blending components) last week averaged 722,000 barrels per day, said the EIA.

The US distillate fuel imports averaged 99,000 barrels per day last week, according to the report.

The price for West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil was $53.75 per barrel on Dec.30, or $1.74 above last week’s price, according to EIA estimates.